1. Field
One or more embodiments described herein relate to a compressor.
2. Background
In general, a hermetic compressor is provided with a drive motor generating a driving force in an inner space of a hermetic container, and a compressor mechanism operated in combination with the drive motor to compress refrigerant. Furthermore, the hermetic compressor may be classified as a reciprocating type, scroll type, or vibration type. The scroll type and/or vibration type operate based on rotational force of the drive motor, and the vibration type operates based on a reciprocating motion of the drive motor.
The drive motor of a hermetic compressor which operates based on rotational force includes a shaft which transfers rotational force to the compressor mechanism. For instance, the drive motor of a rotary type hermetic compressor (e.g., a rotary compressor) may include a stator fixed to the hermetic container, a rotor inserted into the stator with a predetermined air gap to be rotated by interaction with the stator, and a rotation shaft combined with the rotor to transfer a rotational force of the rotor to the compressor mechanism.
Furthermore, the compressor mechanism may include a compressor mechanism for inhaling, compressing, and discharging refrigerant while rotating within a cylinder, and a plurality of bearing members supporting the compressor mechanism while at the same time forming a compression space together with the cylinder. The bearing members are arranged at a side of the drive motor to support the rotation shaft.
Various attempts have been made to enhance the efficiency of a compressor. Most of these attempts involves changing a shape or material of one or more elements of the compressor or modifying the overall structure of the compressor. These attempts have been costly, often requiring new equipment to be installed in the production facility.
Moreover, in recent years, a compressor has been introduced in which bearings are provided at both upper and lower ends of the rotation shaft to minimize the vibration of the compressor. This has produced a number of drawbacks.
For example, the bearings increases cause an increase in the contact area with the rotation shaft, which necessarily results in an increase of friction loss. Because of this loss, the operation speed of the compressor must be increased to compensate. All of these drawbacks reduce operating efficiency.